Although there’s not much that can be done to lower the price of natural gas this winter, here are fast and free things you can do to save on your energy bill:

 1. Rearrange your furniture to assure all heating vents are clear. Keep seating areas away from outside walls so you do not feel drafts while you relax.

2. Operate vents minimally. Bath and kitchen vents exhaust moisture, along with heated air, to the outside. If your home is dry during the winter, you may not need to operate these vents at all. However, if you have condensation on windows, operate the vents as needed to remove cooking and bathing moisture.

 3.  Set back thermostat at night and when you leave home. Setting the thermostat back 10 degrees at night or when the house will be unoccupied can save up to 15% on heating costs. The furnace will have to run more to reheat the house, but the energy saved while the home is cooler more than offsets the extra run time to reheat the home.

 4. Let the sunshine in. Open drapes and let the sun heat your home for free (get them closed again at sundown so they help insulate). Sun angles are low in winter, allowing substantial solar heating through all south facing windows. You may want to trim any vegetation that shades south windows.

5. Use your ceiling fan. Typically we think of ceiling fans as a way to cool down, but they can also be utilized for heat. If you set your ceiling fan to a low speed, on reverse, the warm air trapped at the ceiling will mix with the cooler air and heat the entire room.

 6. Lower the thermostat on your water heater. Reduce hot water temperature. Set your water heater to the "normal" setting or 120-degrees Fahrenheit, unless the owner's manual for your dishwasher requires a higher setting. Savings are 7-11 percent of water heating costs.

 7. Eliminate wasted energy. Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms. Unplug that spare refrigerator in the garage if you don't truly need it - this seemingly convenient way to keep extra drinks cold adds 10-25 percent to your electric bill


8. Shorten showers. Simply reducing that lingering time by a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of hot water per month for a family of four. Showers account for 2/3 of your water heating costs. Cutting your showers in half will reduce your water heating costs by 33 percent.

9. Use appliances efficiently. Do only full loads when using your dishwasher and clothes washer. Use the cold water setting on your clothes washer when you can. Using cold water reduces your washer's energy use by 75 percent. Be sure to clean your clothes dryer's lint trap after each use. Use the moisture-sensing automatic drying setting on your dryer if you have one.

10. Put your computer and monitor to sleep. Most computers come with the power management features turned off. On computers using Windows, open your power management software and set it so your computer goes to sleep if you're away from your machine for 5 to 15 minutes. Those who use Mac computers look for the setting in your Control Panels called "Energy Saver" and set it accordingly. When you're done using your computer, turn it off. Do not leave it in sleep mode overnight as it is still drawing a small amount of power.

Compiled by: 
Ben Schwartz | Founder 
VacancyFillers.com

Should you rent in a newer or older apartment building? New data shows older rentals — especially those in buildings with fewer than 10 units — tend to have lower rents. But cost isn’t the only factor for today’s renters.

Jessica’s newer, larger building
Near Boston’s South End, One Back Bay embodies the luxury apartment experience with a 24-hour concierge and valet service. A studio apartment in the 2009-built building is available for $3,390 per month.


Jessica Lau, 24, was initially concerned with location and safety. As a dental student at Boston University, proximity to school was at the top of her apartment wish list.

Then she started talking to locals.

“At first, I didn’t care about the age of the building where I lived,” she said. “But after I talked to them, I changed my mind and looked for something modern and new.”

Turns out, Lau’s friends who live in older Boston apartment buildings and brownstones have battled a few unwanted pests. One friend didn’t cook in her kitchen for a year because she couldn’t get rid of mice.

As a result, Lau selected a large, full-service apartment building built in the early 2000s.

“We pay $3,570 for a 2-bedroom,” she said. “We got a good deal on our unit.”

South End apartments tend to be on the pricier side — the median rent is $3,032 per month versus $2,497 for Boston as a whole — but Lau splits the cost with roommates. Two women have their own bedrooms, and one has her bed in the living room.

“It definitely changed the dynamic, but with a resident lounge, it works,” she said.

Lau’s building has several shared amenities including a lounge with a complimentary coffee bar and flat-screen TVs, and a conference room where she and her classmates study for exams. Residents also have access to laundry rooms on every floor, 2 gyms and 24-hour concierge service.

“It’s worth it because of the facilities,” she said.

 Kerrye’s older, smaller building
A 1-bedroom is available for $1,900 per month in a 1966-built Brookline building. Pets are considered, and a park with off-leash dog hours is nearby.

Kerrye Wasserman, 33, and his fiancee also rent in Boston. Their building is smaller, with 6 units total, and was built prior to 2000.

“Most places I looked at were on the older side,” he said. “Age wasn’t a factor for us, but it’s harder to install a television on the wall, for instance.”

The couple pay $1,700 a month for about 650 square feet, significantly less than the median Brookline rent of $2,962. It’s also significantly less than the couple previously paid to rent in New York City.

“We were willing to pay up to $2,000 in Boston, but ground-floor rentals are typically cheaper and we wanted a ground floor because it’s easier with a dog,” Wasserman explained.

In fact, his top priority was finding a dog-friendly apartment where his fiancee could walk to work at Longwood Medical.

“A lot of places are pet-friendly, but they love cats not dogs,” he said.

Another reason the couple landed on their Brookline apartment was on-site parking.

“On-site parking in Brookline is very important because there are very few places that allow overnight parking,” he said.

Best of both worlds:
Want shared amenities without breaking the bank? Search for newer yet smaller apartment buildings. Research shows you could save more than 30 percent simply by selecting a building with fewer units.

The challenge for Lau and Wasserman was finding one that fit their top search criteria in the Boston city limits.

“It’s all about priorities,” Wasserman said.

Original Article: 
https://homes.yahoo.com/news/old-vs-apartments-renters-dilemma-210317428.html
Author:  Catherine Sherman